PROPERTY TAX

Most property tax rates going upTALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) – July 22, 2009 – Most of Florida’s 67 school boards are expected to approve property tax increases under a local option included in the state budget.Wayne Blanton, executive director of the Florida School Boards Association, says the boards aren’t happy about it but have little choice because of their dire financial straits.Blanton says some boards already have passed the increases and others are expected to take votes during the next two weeks.Each district is allowed to raise property taxes by $25 per $100,000 of taxable value for the next two years.Voter approval, though, is required to retain the increase any longer than that.Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press.